Golf-club head.



W. BURKE.

GOLF CLUB HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1a. 1913.

Patented Mar. 10, 191i l I WY 1 t 4H! I m. 0 1 C U 1 .1 m0

Wibneooeo MJ end grain WILLIAM BURKE, 0F NEWARK, OHIO.

GOLF-CLUB HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 10, 19.1 4.

Application filed August 18, 1913. Serial No. 785,212.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Licking and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Golf-Club Heads, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to golf club heads.

An object of the invention is in a ready, practical, and thoroughly efficient manner, to reduce liability of splitting orcracking of the head from impacts due to use, and practically to eliminate danger of fracturing of the neck.

A further object is to provide a practical golf head.

The novelty of the invention resides in three features, namely in the manner of disposing the ain of the wood of the head, in the dispositlon of the grain of the neck relative to that of the head, and in the manner of assembling the neck with the liead.

The feature of novelty first named resides in disposing the grain of the head at right angles to its striking face, whereby the impact from the balls is transmitted to the head in the same manner as the blows received by a mallet or maul in use. By this dispositionof the grain of the head, splitting ahd cracking are practically eliminated, and a larger proportion of the force of the stroke is transmitted to the ball, thereby securing reater distance in the stroke, and finally a sorption of the shock of the impact with the ball attendant upon such a stroke with the ordinary wood golf head.

The feature of novelty second named resides in having the grain of the neck extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft, so that the neck is caused to present resistance to fracture or splitting with equal force throughout its entire length, and in assembling the neck with its grain perpendicular to the grain of the head.

The feature of novelty third named resides in providing the head with a counterbored mortise, and in forming the terminal of the neck with a tenon, shaped to fit the mortise and to be secured therein by -glue, the outer portion of the neck adjacent to the head being of a size to overlap the latter circumferentially, and thus present additional resistance to fracture or loosening between the neck and head, the head and neck being assembled before shaping to completed form.

Further and more specific features of novelty will be hereinafter fully described.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts,

Figure l is a view in longitudinal section through a golf head constructed in accordance with the present invention, the contour of the head blank before being turned to shape being indicated by dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a perspective detail view of a completed golf head, viewed from the sole or base of the head.

Primarily, it may be stated that the pres ent invention is equally adaptable for use in the production of either a driver, hrassie, putter, wood cleek, spoon or any other model of wood golf head, and as this will readily be understood, an illustration of only one forin of golf club head is shown. It is also to be understood that the invention is applicable to either a spliced or socket head, the latter only being shown.

Referring to the drawing, A designates the head of the club. B the neck thereof, and C the shaft or handle. The head A may be of any preferred model or construction and as clearly shown in Fig. 2 has its grain disposed at right angles to its striking face D, the latter being provided on its under side with the usual shoe E.

Disposed at one end of the head and obliquely to the longitudinal axis thereof is a counter-bored mortise comprising two sockets F and G. and these are engaged by a tenon comprising two members II and I, the former of which engages the socket F and the latter the socket G, the member I terminating with the under side or sole of the head as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This member, I, may or may not as desired extend through the sole of the head. As is usual, the upper or mortised end of the head forming the lower part of the neck is rounded or tapered, forming thereby a continuous conical shoulder J, and this is enuged by a reversely shaped shoulder K formed at the intersection of the head and neck, while the difference in diameter between the two bores of the mortise provides a square shoulder L that is engaged by the abutment formed by the difference in circumference between the two members H and I of the tenon. All of the joints between the mortise and tenon are firmly secured by glue, and by the interlocking thus obtained,

and the reinforcing qualities of the glue,

throughout the entire length of the neck.

As usual, the neck is provided with a tapered bore M to receive theshaft G, the latter being held in place by any suitable cement or glue such as is commonly employed.

'It will be seen from the foregoing description that by the disposition of the grain of the head and the neck, and by the mannerof assembling the two parts, a thoroughly efficient and impact absorbin and resisting golf head is provided, an one which will withstand harder usage than if the grain of the parts were disposed in the ordinary manner, and one in which for the same amount of force applied will obtain for the stroke a longerv flight and carry than the ordinary wood golf head.

A further essential feature of the inven .tion consists in assembling the-rough head and neck pieces as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1 the counter-bored mortise of the head piece receiving thetenon of the neck. After being so assembled the compound block is turned or worked down to the proper club shape.

\Vhile the forms of the invention herein shown and described are what are believed to be preferable embodiments thereof, it is nevertheless to be understood that minor changes may be made in the forms, proportion and details of construction without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. A golf club embodying a head fproper formed of a single integral body 0 wood whose grain runs at substantially right angles to the striking face of the club and a neck portion formed of a separate piece of wood whose grain runs 111 planes at substantially right angles to the plane of the grain of the wood of the head proper substantially as described.

2. A golf club embodying a head proper formed of a single integral body of wood whose grain runs at substantially right angles to the striking face of the club and a neck portion formed of a separate piece of wood whose grain runs in planes at substantially right angles to the plane of the grain of the wood of the head proper, and

i in parallel lines extending obliquely to the sole of the head.

3. A golf club embodying a head proper formed of a single integral body of wood whose grain runs at substantially right angles to the striking face of the elub'and a neck portion formed of aseparate piece of wood having its grain extending parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft and obliquely to the sole of the head and in planes at substantially right angles to the plane of the grain of the wood of the head roper.

4. A golf club embodying a head roper formed of a'single integral body 0 wood whose grain runs at substantially right angles,to the striking face of the club and provided with a counter-bored mortise and a neck portion formed of a separate piece of wood whose grain runs in planes at substantially right angles to the plane of the grain of the wood of the head proper and provided with a tenon to engage the mortise, substantially as described.

5. A golf club embodying a head proper formed of a single integral body of wood whose grain runs at substantially right angles to the striking face of the club and provided with a counter-bored mortise and with a conical shoulder and a neck portion formed of a separate piece of wood whose grain runs in planes at substantially right angles to the plane of the grain of the wood of the head proper and provided with a tenon to engage the mortise and with an insert shoulder to engage that of the head, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. WILLIAM BURKE. Witnesses:

F. E. HORN, J USTINA KURETH. 

